Blood, Roses and Lilly
by Red Jasper
Summary: He called himself Lucius but I saw him before he had any name at all
1. Default Chapter

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They say he Apparated to Hogwarts but I saw him walk out of the forest.  
  
The Forbidden Forest. Out of bounds to students. Ogg spent most of his time chasing James Potter and Sirius Black away from it. They always went to the same place, where a giant spider supposedly lived. I always went to the pine trees. Ogg never found me.  
  
I would sit on the forest floor, cushioned with pine trees, and wrap my arms around the briars to smell the roses, deep red and pearly white. The thorns left red welts on my skin and my blood stained the forest floor. The high arc of trees blocked out the sky but here and there was a clearing with a glowing pillar of sunlight.  
  
He called himself Lucius but I saw him before he any name at all.  
  
Sirius teases me. He pulls on my red hair and charms lilies into my clothes. "You look like a lily yourself, don't you lilly?" He pushes me outside and laughs, "Go and get some freckles, Lily girl."  
  
I don't like lilies. They rip apart too easily. Roses bite back. They make you bleed.  
  
He walked out of that golden light. His hair was almost the same colour; maybe a little paler. His eyes were cold and distant. How you would expect an Angel's eyes to look like. Far away and not interested in petty mortal affairs.  
  
He turned and looked at me. I had a frightening urge to start praying. Not to him; there was nothing good about him. If he was an Angel he was one of the ones who lived in hell. One of the Rebel Angels.  
  
He smiled and his face became less perfect more..human. As if he was not used to smiling but something about me had amused him greatly.  
  
Then he turned and walked away.  
  
I left when the sun began to set and the air grew chilly. If I am honest with myself, I expected him to come back and fly away into the sky or disappear down to Hell.  
  
I made it back in time for the feast. Remus Lupin dumped food onto my plate, claiming I was too thin and I was just about to start the long and skilled process of magically transferring the contents of my plate onto Peter Pettigrew's when I looked up at the teachers' table and saw him.  
  
He had been staring at me. The candlelight turned his hair into old gold. His eyes were darker then they had been in the forest, almost black. I couldn't see his expression; the ceiling had turned to twilight blue.  
  
"That's someone from the Ministry," I looked at Remus who was spooning yet more Casserole on my plate, "He belongs to a cult. Death heads or something." I glanced at the teacher's table but he was talking to Professor Binns.  
  
I made a discreet hand gesture to James who ate some of my Casserole while Remus's back was turned.  
  
"Death Eaters," I said finally picking up my fork and spearing a carrot, "Severus told me."  
  
Sirius scowled. I often talked to Severus. I was perhaps the only person who did without telling him to `sod off'. It wasn't that I pitied him. I didn't. I appreciated his dry wit and sarcasmthat he had an endless supply of. I liked the way he listened to my ramblings as if they made sense, even though they were more tangled than the willow tree branches, which we usually sat under.  
  
I looked at Severus now. He was looking at me. He doesn't smile but his dark eyes show that he is pleased that Sirius is so angry. House rivalries baffle me. Frankly I don't see the point.  
  
James starts talking about some Quidditch team that no one cares about. Peter chips in eagerly even though he hasn't a clue about any sport that involves getting off his backside and doing some exercise. Remus loks bored and Sirius makes towers out of our goblets.  
  
I look up to the teachers' table only to see that he is gone.  
  
My carrot is still on my fork and I put it back on the plate and carefully stand up. Four pairs of eyes turn to me and Remus protests. I think he has lost count of the number of times I left in the middle of a meal.  
  
"Remus, I have cramps," I say calmly and leave the four of them, mouths agape as I step distractedly from the room.  
  
If I had looked back I would have seen Dumbledore's electric blue eyes fixed on me, his forehead creased in a frown. 


	2. Midnight walks

Many, many thanks to my reviewers. Your words spurred me on to write the next chapter. So keep on reviewing ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I forgot to do this last time but the only charactors that belong to me are Meredith etc. The rest belong to the famous J.K Rowling.  
  
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All the dormitries in the Griffindor Tower are exactly the same. Well, there are some differences but all of them are drenched in scarlet. Our house colour.  
  
The hangings over the bed were also scarlet. Notice I said were. I charmed my hangings to flash in different colours in my first year. Mcgonagal protested but Dumbledore just seemed amused and said I could keep it like that.  
  
There were four other girls who shared the dormitary. Meredith, Summer, Caitlin and Heather. We were friends I suppose. Oh, we didn't do everything together but we spent our evenings gossiping or trying different hairstyles like normal teenagers. They were all purebloods except Heather who was half, and sometimes I thought of telling them that muggle teenagers did things no different from us. I always decided against it, though. Heather might understand but the others imagine muggles as lower life forms. Oh, they never say it out loud. That wouldn't be very Griffindor-ish. They like to believe that we Griffindors are all noble and selfless without a single unkind thought in our heads.  
  
Bullshit, of course.  
  
Summer was trying a hair straightening charm on my hair. I knew it wouldn't work. Summer while very sweet and brave as a lion was not very bright and slightly muddled. Her hair was a mass of golden curls and her eyes were bright cornflower blue. Many people thought she would end up in Hufflepuff but the sorting hat never lies ( at least thats what Dumbledore has been telling us for years anyway).  
  
Caitlin ws off on another `interesting' story about yet another important friend of her father's who had been charmed by her and kept sending her gifts. I needn' tell you that Caitlin was one of the prettiest girls in the school. There were constant votes among the student population on who was the better looking between her and Narcissa Astra- a Slytherin. I personally thought it was Caitlin. Narcissa would be pretty but she always had a look on her face as if there was a disgusting smell under her nose.  
  
People say I'm pretty but its just the red hair; Sirius has pointed that out often enough.  
  
Heather worshipped Caitlin. She was quite plain with mousey brown hair and a habit of scrunching up her nose. Right now, she was hanging on to Caitlin's every word and cooing over the gold necklace that had been sent from the admirer.  
  
I didn't have the heart to tell them it wasn't real gold : just gilted paint.  
  
Meredith lay on my bed reading. Her long black hair was done up in plaits and there were a few freckles on her dark skin which were results of the hot summer we had just had. She put her book down and sighed : she loved reading tragedys. So did I as a matter of fact. "Why did you leave in the middle of dinner?" She flicked one of braids at Summer.  
  
Now it was my turn to sigh. Meredith didn't miss much. "I didn't feel hungry," I lied.  
  
She rolled on her back to stare at my multi-coloured hangings, "Did you see that man sitting next to Binns?" Her voice sounded dreamy, " He was-"  
  
"Lucius Malfoy," Caitlin said promptly, joining her on the bed. "My father knows him. He's very high up in the Ministary."  
  
Heather broke in eagerly,"Hey, did you see the necklace that Caitlin got from-"  
  
"We heard," I said hastily. Meredith grinned.  
  
"I'm hungry," Summer said and stopped playing with my hair to my relief.  
  
"I'll go and get something from the kitchens," I said," I feel like a walk."  
  
Caitlin waved to me, "Get me something too," Was I a slave?  
  
"Alright," I said.  
  
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In their second year, James and Sirius discovered the house elves in the kitchens. When we had missed lunch due to getting lost in the forest (James's fault not mine) they led the rest of us (Remus and me - Peter already knew: he made trips down there often - I guess thats why he's so fat) to the home of the house elves, who gave us so much food that after sharing it with six other people there were still leftovers.  
  
I tickled the pear and pulled on the handle.  
  
"Lilly?"  
  
I whipped around and saw Severus. He was leaning against the statue od Eric the Strange and looking at me oddly, "Its not like you to get hungry."  
  
"Oh," I patted the handle, "No, I'm just getting something for the others."  
  
He scowled, "And they can't get something themselves-why?"  
  
"I felt like walking."  
  
He shifted restlessly and stared at the spot beyond my shoulder, "I feel like walking too. We can go outside."  
  
"It's nearly midnight!" He knew I loved walking in the dark.  
  
He smiled at that, "Good, then no teachers will see us."  
  
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I don't know why but I love walking at night. The world seems different: Colder, subtler with endless stretches of glittering stars. The lake turns into an icy mirror, reflecting the milky glow of the moon.  
  
I drank all this in as we walked. I let Severus lead; he was careful to walk in the darkest places and stay clear away from the lake so our voices wouldn't carry over the water.  
  
His voice broke the silence as we meandered to the courtyard: "Where were you today?"  
  
I smiled, "That would be telling."  
  
"You were in the forest"  
  
Severus knew me too well, "Maybe."  
  
He turned his face to the sky. I looked up too; Sirius hung low in the sky, glowing like a small moon.  
  
"You shouldn't go there so often," he said finally, "Ogg could catch you and-" he stopped.  
  
I knew what he wanted to say // It's not safe // but he hated saying things like that. He hated me sometimes for making him want to say things like that.  
  
I sighed and looked towards the school - and froze.  
  
Lucius was there.  
  
He had already seen us and was walking our way. I heard Severus swear softly under his breath.  
  
He stopped in front of us. He was tall; even taller than Severus. Pale, golden and lovely like one of the sidhe.  
  
"A little late for a stroll, don't you think?"  
  
We didn't speak. Severus was being as mulish as possible; expecting punishment, and I'm afraid my heart was in my throat.  
  
Lucius smiled, "Go back inside," He was looking at me.  
  
We walked back to the school.  
  
Severus- being the Slytherin he was- suspected that Lucius was planning to go to the headmaster first thing in the morning. I wasn't so sure.  
  
I looked back before we went inside.  
  
He stood in the side door of the courtyard. I couldn't see his face; the shadows of the gargoyles fell on him.  
  
But he stood there.  
  
Watching me.  
  
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Dun Dun DUN ^_^ Review please 


	3. Lessons

I am really, really sorry everyone. I just moved house so this is one of the few times I get internet access. Please try to be patient with me. I love all my reviewers. (And a special thank you to Fuschia, who reviewed "Helena"-I thought everyone overlooked that story)  
  
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The girls weren't as surprised as you might think when I came back with no food. I had often gone off to do something after nightfall, only to come back, hours later, with no idea why I had set off in the first place. Meredith and my parents said I was just concentrating on other things; Caitlin and less kinder people said I went around half asleep most of the time (they were careful not to say it when I was in the room, though).  
  
We woke up to a rainy morning. The others groaned but I was secretly pleased. Rainy mornings are interesting. It would be an extra bonus if there was a storm. Meredith gave me a sharp look as I skipped down the dormitory stairs, "Don't stand out in the rain like you did last time," she warned, "You'll be in bed with a cold when the dance comes up."  
  
I haven't explained about the dance, have I? Apparently Dumbledore thinks we're getting in a rut. He springs a dance on us to liven things up before the Holidays (half term). The first few dances were pretty normal but then he decided to theme them (much to Mc Gonnagal's dismay). This dance was based on Gods and Goddesses. We were going to buy our costumes tomorrow at Hogsmeade and try to drag the boys down to buy theirs.  
  
The ceiling in the great hall was a storm of blue, grey and black. Remus beckoned me over. I was about to pretend I hadn't seen him - so he couldn't stuff me like a thanksgiving turkey - when Sirius steered me to their side of the table.  
  
"Flower maiden," he said, "You should be honoured to sit with the most dashing males in Hogwarts."  
  
"Really?" I said, "Where are they?" Sirius made a sound of mock outrage and I sat down next to James, "Who are you going to be for the dance?" I asked, resigning myself to the fact Remus was piling fried eggs on my plate.  
  
James looked up from where he was shovelling food in his mouth, "Jesus."  
  
"James," I said patiently, "Jesus wasn't a God."  
  
"He's God's son," James said. What has that got to do with anything?  
  
"Hello, people," Sirius poured himself more pumpkin juice, "Jewish here. Not everyone believes-"  
  
Peter knocked over a jug of milk, which stopped all talk of religion. I was glad. My parents were strictly Christian as well as my sister. I didn't have a strong belief. Just ideas. There was an alter beside my bed, which I used from time to time, like, once a year. I don't think any Gods that are up there really give a shit about finals or bad hair days. The last time I used it was when Mother had Cancer. Whoever was up there- I didn't pray to the Christian God- took pity on me. She got better after a few weeks in a muggle hospital.  
  
Ignoring the fried eggs, I reached for some toast. Remus looked at me and I defiantly took a bite out of it. He sighed and then smiled as I pushed rhe eggs towards him.  
  
Sometimes I worry about Remus. He has the body of a teenager but his eyes are old. Far too wise for a fifteen year old; as if he had to grow up too quickly when he was a child.  
  
He looked at me and I wondered if I had spoken out loud. A quick glance at the others showed I hadn't.  
  
There was something strange about Remus and I wasn't about to delve into his personal life to find out what it was. A normal Griffindor would have. To `help' him, of course, but I would rather not know. Ignorance isn't a bliss but sometimes its better than the alternative.  
  
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We had Defence against the Dark Arts after breakfast with the Slytherins. The old teacher had left last week due to the fact she was pregnant. Her stomach had been so large that she could hardly fit behind her desk.  
  
I sat at the back with Severus. Both houses shot us dirty looks. It was quite funny, really. Severus seemed to be oblivious to his housemates glares as he took his textbooks out.  
  
"So," I said as we waited for our new teacher, "who are you going to be at the dance?"  
  
He looked at me, "Myself."  
  
I scowled, "You have to be someone..." inspiration struck, "You can be Hades!"  
  
He frowned thoughtfully and I knew I had him. All you needed to do was appeal to Severus's morbid side and he agreed to anything you said (to me anyway)  
  
"Very well," he conceded, "who are you going to imitate?"  
  
"Um," I hesitated, "I'll decide when I get to Hogsmeade."  
  
He snorted. Apparently, since I was a girl I was supposed to have planned weeks in advance just as my room mates had.  
  
Our teacher walked in as I talked to Severus. As my breath hitched in my throat, something deep down inside of me was not surprised.  
  
Lucius stood at the front of the classroom. His lovely golden hair shone in the light that filtered through the rain, accenting his pale skin and grey eyes. Those eyes were the only things that made you realise he wasn't as lovely inside as he was out.  
  
The lesson passed in a blur. When I looked back at it later, the only thing I could remember was when the bell rang. Amid the scramble for bags and books, that false angel looked at me and smiled.  
  
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I sat under the willow trees with Severus at lunch. Some days we sat in silence and some days we talked. It depended on Severus's mood; I didn't mind either way.  
  
Today he felt like talking.  
  
"I know DADA is boring," he said, "And the way that goon teaches it is ridiculous, but it would be wise not to ignore him completely like you did today. He might ask you a question and you looked as if you hadn't heard a single thing he said."  
  
This was quite a speech for Severus who believed that the best communication was no communication so I patted his shoulder. "I won't do it again."  
  
"Hmph," he said, "that means `I'll forget about it in the next five minutes'"  
  
I thought about it, "Possibly," I agreed.  
  
He groaned and lay back on the soaking wet grass to look at the sky. It was still raining (we were the only ones outside except for a couple of mad first years) but the sun shone brightly making the rain fall in sparkling droplets.  
  
"Look, Severus," I exclaimed, "A rainbow!!"  
  
"Oh, shut up," was my only response. 


End file.
